Kennett: Site of Richmond safe injecting room next to primary school ‘totally inappropriate’

I have long been supporter of a safe injecting room, but propping one beside a primary school is leaving our children exposed to bodies lying prostrate in the street.

As readers would know, I have been a long-time supporter of a medically supervised injecting centre in Melbourne.

As a result of my public position, Premier Daniel Andrews asked me to head up a body that evaluated the operations of the MSIC.

I accepted the invitation, because of my strong belief that any life is worth saving, and such a facility should operate on a bipartisan basis.

I withdrew from that appointment fairly early in the process when MSIC was being established, for reasons not in any way connected with the MSIC.

That said, now the facility has been up and running for three years, and regardless of the benefits that the clients of the MSIC are receiving, one matter is clear. The current location, next to a primary school in Richmond, is totally inappropriate.

Every life is worth saving; equally so, every life is worth respecting.

Richmond West Primary School is next to the safe injecting room. Picture: Jason Edwards

The current siting of the MSIC is imposing untold stress and fear on children and parents in the area. No one, particularly our children, should be exposed to bodies lying prostrate on the grounds of the MSIC or on surrounding streets.

No one, particularly children, should be exposed to an endless number of dangerous used syringes lying on the grounds through which they walk.

It is time the government was big enough to admit the location of the MSIC is causing more harm than the good it is dispensing.

Apparent drug use in Richmond outside the Safe Injecting Room. Picture: Jason Edwards

The Sydney MSIC is located in the main street of its community. It has caused no damage to the local environment — in fact the very reverse. Users in the main have disappeared from the streets and shopkeepers, when I spoke to them when investigating the value of establishing such a centre here in Victoria, said the siting had cleaned up the area.

It was the wrong decision for the government to locate the MSIC next to a school community.

To deny the damage the location is causing on young and impressionable children would be a second and unacceptable mistake.

Please move the injecting centre.

CANBERRA ALLEGATIONS ‘PROFOUNDLY DISAPPOINTING’

The information being reported about activities in Parliament House Canberra is also profoundly disappointing.

Parliament House is a bubble. It attracts people from all over the country to stay, work and live in Canberra for varying amounts of time.

Most are separated from family and friends and their normal social environments. Many are young, single and work for members of parliament, including ministers.

All work long hours, often under varying degrees of stress. At day’s end, they seek comfort in eating and drinking and each other. Only natural.

Sadly, seniority gives some a sense of superior self-worth. This can lead to bullying, and inappropriate behaviour.

Of course, this does not apply to the vast majority of those who work there, but the few who do abuse the privilege of working within the political system and in Parliament House sadly bring discredit on all.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government has recently battled scandal Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Any inappropriate behaviour should be called out and reported. Where proven, the offender should have their employment terminated, not only within Parliament House but within any public service for a period of time, 10 years or a scale depending on the severity of the abuse.

Where such action is found to be criminal, the courts will decide the punishment.

Those offended should feel free and comfortable to lodge complaints without the possibility of any recrimination.

Maybe it should be a matter for consideration that Parliament House as a workplace should be alcohol free, except for registered functions in the Great Hall.

But perhaps the bigger issue is the equality of representation in all parliaments. After all, the community is made up almost equally of the two genders male and female.

I have not liked the concept of quotas, and have always appointed people on merit, and that has included many women, but never in equal numbers. Maybe because I never knew enough women in senior positions to promote.

But just like the approval of same-sex marriage, a lot has changed in our community in the last 20-30 years. Women are occupying so many more senior positions, so has the time come to seek equality of opportunity in the places that make the laws and regulations for society as a whole? I think the answer is yes.

For those conservatives in our society, or members of the Liberal Party who reject the concept, I refer you back to its founder, Robert Menzies in 1944, who insisted there be equal representation between men and women on all the party’s administrative bodies.

That never was extended to the parliaments around Australia, but I think the time has come for that to be an extension of the Menzies initiative.

Such a change would set the standard for the rest of organisations around the country. It would help to address cultural issues throughout society, and leadership so often comes from the top, and our parliaments would be a good place to start.

We perhaps can never stop acts of violence against women by the ill and deranged, assaults that happen without warning.

We might be able to substantially reduce the real and perceived divide between opportunities for men and women and take a proactive role in ensuring women with ability are recognised and promoted.

I have seen many social changes in my short life. Many that have been argued for, marched for over years, and have ultimately delivered wonderfully rewarding results.

Even incidents of family violence can be reduced if we as a community are proactive.

Nothing is impossible. Everything is achievable.

Rather than more inquiries, let us just simply do things that we know are right and will make a difference.

Not to do so is wrong, and two wrongs never make a right.

Have a good day.

Jeff Kennett is a former premier of Victoria